George  W ashington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

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FAMILY  OF 
COLON E L  FLOWERS 


A  NOTICE 


of 


(T  It  c  |  i  it \  It  it  \% 


CHARLESTON: 
PRINTED  BV  EVANS  &  COGSWELL, 

3  Broad  and  103  East  Bay  Streets. 

I860. 


Pamphiet  CoMeo^rcn 
Duke  University  Library 


A  NOTICE 


( l  F 


It  \  §  i  xt  4  ;fe  «  4  j 


CHARLESTON: 
PRINTED  BY  EVANS  &  COGSWELL 
3  Broad  and  103  East  Bay  Streets. 

1860. 


The  public  lives  of  the  Generals  Pixckxey  ore  well  known 
to  their  families,  but  with  their  early  years,  and  the  lives  of 
those  who  preceded  them,  they  arc  unacquainted  This  Notice 
is,  therefore,  intended  for  their  descendants. 

Maria  Henrietta  Pinckney. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/noticeofpinckneyOOpinc 


Thomas  Pinckney,  the  grand-father  of  the  Generals 
Pixckxey,  was  the  first  of  the  name  in  Carolina.  He 
came  over  in  the  year  1692.  His  wife  was  Mary,  daughter 
of  Charles  Cotesworth  ;  his  three  sons  were  Thomas,  who 
died  young,  Charles,  commonly  known  by  the  name*  qf 
Chief  Justice  Pinckney,  and  William. 

Thomas  Pixckxey  Avas  a  man  of  independent  fortune, 
and  resided  on  the  Bay,  in  a  house  which  afterwards  he- 
longed  to  General  Thomas  Pinckney.  An  anecdote  is 
told  of  him,  that,  looking  out  on  the  Bay,  which  was  not 
then  disfigured  by  wharves  or  long  rows  of  store  house-, 
he  observed  a  vessel,  just  arrived  from  the  West  Indies, 
landing  her  passengers  ;  and.  as  they  walked  up  the 
street,  he  was  particularly  attracted  by  the  appearance  of 
a  very  handsome  stranger,  gaily  dressed,  and  turning  to 
his  wife,  remarked:  "That  handsome  West  Indian  will 
marry  some  poor  fellow's  widow,  break  her  heart,  and 
ruin  her  children."  His  words  were  in  part  prophetic, 
for,  dying  shortly  after,  his  widow  married  the  gay  West 
Indian.  George  Evans,  and  though  lie  did  not  break  her 
heart,  as  she  lived  to  marry  a  third  husband,  he  often 
gave  her  the  "heartache  by  his  extravagance,  and  squan- 
dering the  patrimony  of  her  children;  a  sufficiency,  how- 
ever, was  saved  to  enable  them  to  have  a  liberal  education. 

Chief  Justice  Pixckxey  was  educated  in  England, 
and  married  there  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Captain  Lamb, 
of  Devonshire  Square,  London.  He  returned  to  Caro- 
lina and  practised  law;  was  made  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Province  and  Kind's  Counsellor.     Having  made  an  am- 


6 


pie  fortune  by  his  profession,  as  is  seen  by  the  rent 
roll  in  his  own  hand  writing,  and,  having  been  many 
years  married  without  children,  he  took  his  brother 
William's  eldest  son,  (diaries,  to  live  with  him,  intend- 
ing to  make  him  his  heir.  In  the  year  1763,  Eliza 
Lucas,  daughter  of  George  Lucas,  a  Colonel  in  the 
British  Army,  and  Governor  of  Antigua,  came,  shortly 
after  her  arrival  from  England,  on  a  tour  of  pleasure 
with  some  friend-  to  Carolina.  The  young  stranger 
attracted  universal  attention,  hut  by  none  was  she  more 
admired  than  by  the  wife  of  Chief  Justice  Pinckney, 
who  declared  that,  rather  than  Miss  Lucas  should  return 
to  Antigua,  she  would  herself  step  out  of  the  way  and 
let  her  take  her  [dace,  which  kind  intention  she  actually 
executed,  dying  the  following  year,  and,  at  no  distant 
time,  Chief  Justice  Pinckney  married  the  lady  his  wife 
was  so  solicitous  should  succeed  her. 

Eliza  Lucas  had  been  sent  very  young  to  England,  for 
her  education,  her  father  •  having  a  great  dislike  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  ladies  of  the  West  Indies  were 
educated,  passing  a  great  part  of  their  time  in  needle 
work,  their  minds  were,  consequently,  vacant  and  uninform- 
ed ;  he  had  a  great  aversion  to  the  sight  of  a  needle, 
and  used  to  say  lie  never  saw  women  at  work,  but  lie 
imagined  they  were  plotting  mischief.  So  ungallant  a 
supposition  would  not  have  been  adverted  to  by  one 
of  his  descendants,  but  to  show  that  it  was  partly 
owing  to  this  circumstance  that  the  fine  mind  of  his 
daughter  was  so  highly  cultivated.  In  compliance  witli 
her  lather's  Wishes,  she  never  engaged  in  any  of  the 
feminine  accomplishments  of  the  needle,  but  spent  the 
greatest   part   of   her   time    in  reading;    and,   as  there 


T 


were  no  reviews  in  those  (lavs,    to    save   the    labor  of 
thinking,  to  be  well  informed,  it  was  necessary  to  read 
deeply  and  think  for  oneself.     She  had  no  knowledge 
of  Latin,  except  the  Latin  grammar,  which  she  had  learnt 
as  a  foundation  for  grammar  in  general  ;   but  she  was 
well  versed  in  the    French   language  and  its  literature, 
and  spoke  it  correctly  and  fluently.    She  had  keen  taught 
music,  as  it  was  an  accomplishment  as  indispensable  at 
that  day  as  it  is  now.     But  as  she  did  not  possess  the 
organ    of  tune,    she    was    not  a  proficient    in    it,  and 
amused  herself   in    gardening,    planting  out  trees,  and 
agriculture.     It   was  from    her  experiments  in  tropical 
plants,  that  Carolina  was  indebted  for  one  of  its  staples 
in  1768.    She  was  eminently  pious,  strongly  attached  to 
her  own  Church,  that  of  England,  hut  her  understanding 
made  her  tolerant  of  others.    She  did  not  consider  reli- 
gion as  distinct  from  morality,  hut,  as  it  was  the  source 
of  her  motives,  it  influenced  all  her  actions.    Had  she 
lived  at  a  period  when  benevolent  societies  and  all  the 
other  philanthropic  societies  were  the  fashion,  she  would 
not  have  supposed  that  a  strict  attention  to  these  and 
the  mere  outward  forms  of  religion,  would  have  entitled 
her  to  the  name  of  Christian,  had  she  not  exhibited  the 
fruits  of  Christianity  by  her  self-control,  forgetfulness  of 
self,  charity  towards  others,  and  humility  of  deportment. 
Xo  spurious  Christianity  found  favor  in  her  sight.  She 
was  a  constant  attendant  on  Church,  and  she,  at  stated 
times,  gave  a  public  testimony  of  her  having  embraced 
the  faith  of  Christ,  by  partaking  of  the  Eucharist:  hut 
she  did  not  commune  every  month.    She  always  obliged 
the  young  people  of  her  family  to  recollect  the  text  of 
the  sermon  they  had  heard  at  Church,  and  search  for  it 


8 


in  the  Bible  as  soon  as  they  came  home,  when  she 
explained  to  them  those  parts  they  did  not  understand, 
or  had  forgotten  :  she  also  made  them  learn  by  heart  the 
Collect  for  the  day,  which  they  considered  a  great  task: 
but  she  never  imposed  on  them  a  Jewish  Sabbath* 
Addison's  beautiful  hymn  on  Gratitude, 

'•When  all  thy  mercies  0  my  Gad, 
My  rising  soul  surveys," 

was  a  great  favorite  of  hers;  she  used  frequently  to  make 
them  repeat  it,  dwelling  on  these  lines, 

"  Nor  is  the  least  a  cheerful  heart, 
That  tastes  those  gifts  with  joy  " 

She  did  not  believe  that  a  moderate  participation  in  tin1 
recreations  and  amusements  of  civilized  society  was  con- 
trary to  the  precepts  or  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  that  the 
relinquishing  of  the  hall-room,  or  the  drama,  was  a  proof 
of  the  spirituality  of  any  one's  state;  or  that  there  were 
more  dangers  to  he  resisted  in  these  than  amidst  the 
temptations,  business  scenes,  and  every-day  trials  of  life. 
She  always  spoke  with  pleasure  of  the  gaities  in  which  she 
had  participated  during  her  second  visit  to  England;  of 
the  celebrated  actors  and  actresses  she  had  seen,  and  men- 
tioned that  she  had  never  missed  a  single  play  when 
Garrick  was  to  act.  Respected,  admired,  at  the  head  of 
society  in  Carolina,  all  that  she  thought,  and  said,  and 
did.  was  right.  But  this  generation  is  wise  in  its  own 
conceit,  and  Eliza  Lucas,  with  all  her  acquirements,  vir- 
tues and  unaffected  piety,  might  now  he  regarded  as  a 
light  not  sufficiently  bright  for  the  illumination  of  the 
times. 

The  happiness  of  Chief  Justice  Pixckney  was  com- 
pleted by  the  birth  of  a  son,  which  put  an  end  to  the 


9 


hopes  of  his  nephew,  Charles.  But  though  it  put  au  end 
to  his  hopes,  it  did  not  diminish  his  affection  for  Ins  uncle, 
or  his  love  for  his  young  cousin,  whom  lie  always  treated 
like  a  younger  brother.  Nor  did  his  uncle  remit  his  care 
and  attention  to  him;  he  kept  him  in  the  family,  edu- 
cated him  for  the  law,  and  sent  him  to  England  for  five 
years  for  the  completion  of  his  education.  The«Generals 
Pinckney  and  their  sister  were  accustomed  to  speak  of 
him  with  great  affection,  always  designating  him  by  the 
title  of  "my  cousin.*'  He  was  the  father  of  Charles 
Pinckney,  one  of  the  trainers  of  the  Constitution. 

Chief  Justice  Pinckney  had  four  children  :  Charles 
Cotesworth,  horn  on  the  25th  February,  1T4G ;  Greorge 
Lucas,  who,  his  father  said,  died  of  a  clean  room,  his 
nurse  choosing  to  wash  the  floor,  when  he  was  only  a 
fortnight  old;  Harriott,  afterwards  wife  of  Daniel  Horry, 
and  Thomas,  horn  on  the  22d  October,  1750.  It  may 
be  imagined  that  a  child  so  ardently  wished  for  as 
was  Charles  Cotesworth  Pinckney,  by  such  parents, 
would  have  not  only  every  care  and  attention  bestowed 
on  his  health,  but  unremitting  pains  taken  with  his  edu- 
cation. Accordingly,  he  knew  his  letters  before  he  could 
speak — that  is,  if  the  letter  were  named,  he  was  asked  to 
point  it  out,  he  immediately  put  his  linger  on  it.  But 
he  never,  in  after  life,  approved  of  such  precocious  accom- 
plishments, and  used  to  dissuade  all  those  with  whom  he 
had  any  influence,  from  the  premature  instruction  of  their 
children,  saying  that  from  an  over-anxiety  to  make  him 
a  clever  fellow  he  had  run  the  risk  of  being  a  very  stupid 
one.  Of  that  firmness  of  character  which  he  exhibited 
through  life,  he  gave  an  instance  when  only  three  years 
old,  in  suffering  himself  to  be  whipped  rather  than  betray 


10 


a  little  companion.  Of  his  strict  regard  for  truth,  several 
Childish  anecdotes  are  told  before  lie  was  seven  years  old, 
ai  which  age  his  lather  carried  him,  with  his  mother, 
sister  and  brother,  then  only  three  years  old,  to  England, 
in  the  year  1753. 

On  going  to  England,  Chief  Justice  Pinckney  rented 
what  lie  called  his  Mansion  House,  on  the  Hay,  to  Mr. 
Glen,  who  was  then  Governor  of  the  Province:  and  from 
that  time,  and  during  the  minority  of  his  son.  it  was  the 
residence  of  all  the  Provincial  Governors. 

Chief  Justice  Pinckney  resided,  while  in  England,  at  a 
house  he  purchased  in  Surrey,  called  Ripley.  On  account 
of  the  war  between  France  and  England,  he  returned, 
with  his  wife  and  daughter,  to  Carolina,  in  1758,  leaving 
his  two  sons  at  Westminster  School,  the  one  being  twelve, 
the  other  eight  years  old.  He  was  taken  ill  immediately  on 
his  coming  home,  and  died  in  a  short  time,  leaving  direc- 
tions that  his  sons  should  have  the  most  liberal  education, 
llis  will  is  most  explicit  on  this  point;  "if,"  it  runs,  "if 
from  the  uncertainty  of  the  crops,  the  income  should  be 
inadequate,  part  of  the  estate  may  he  sold,  always  reserv- 
ing Pinckney  Island." 

General  Pixckxey  had  a  most  exalted  opinion  of  his 
father,  not  from  his  recollection,  as  he  was  only  twelve 
years  old  when  he  last  saw  him,  but  from  the  reflections 
and  notes,  in  his  own  hand  writing,  that  he  had  found 
dispersed  through  his  books.  Those  books  are  no  longer 
in  being.  At  the  commencement  of  the  war  between 
England  and  the  colonies,  the  greatest  part  of  the  library, 
the  papers  of  consequence,  and  every  thing  that  was 
valuable  in  the  family  was  sent  to  Ashepoo,  to  a  place 
belonging  to  General   Thomas   Pixckxey,  supposing  it 


1 1 


sufficiently  remote  to  be  out  of  danger,  but  the  bouse 
was  at  length  burnt,  with  every  thing  in  it,  except  what 
had  been  plundered  and  carried  off  ;  the  only  memorial, 
therefore,  of  Chief  Justice  PiNCEWirr,  is  his  last  will, 
which,  in  the  language  of  one  fully  competent  to  judge, 
"  will  be  read  with  delight  by  the  patriot,  the  philan- 
thropist, the  parent  and  the  Christian."*  Such  was  the 
fascination  of  his  manner,  as  described  by  Ins  wife,  that 
the  moment  his  footstep  was  heard,  before  he  entered 
the  drawing  room,  every  eye  glistened  with  expectation 
and  pleasure.  lie  was  idolized  by  her;  and  a  nervous 
illness  of  many  months  followed  her  bereavement:  but 
she  at  length  remembered  she  was  a  mother,  and  roused 
herself  to  direct  the  education  of  her  absent  sons,  and 
devote  herself  to  that  of  her  daughter.  And  never  did 
daughter  more  fully  repay  the  thousand  cares  bestowed 
on  her.  She  was  every  thing  the  fondest  parent  could 
hope  or  desire.  Nor  were  her  anxieties  for  her  sons 
unrewarded.  She  was  constantly  informed  of  the  pro- 
gress they  were  making  in  classical  attainments.  The 
strict  discipline  of  Westminster  could  not  fail  to  bring 
forth  every  intellectual  power.  She  had  herself  planted 
the  seeds  of  religion  and  virtue  in  their  hearts,  and  her 
friend,  Mrs.  Evans,  under  whose  guardianship  they  were 
placed,  did  not  spoil  them.  The  penances  this  lady 
prescribed  were  rather  uncommon — there  was  one  she 
imposed  on  General  Pinckney  that  he  never  forgot. 
She  obliged  him  to  sit  down  and  unpick  a  quilted 
silk  petticoat,  which  gave  him  as  great  an  aversion  to  a 
pin  as  his  grandfather  had  to  a  needle. 

There  was  also  another  friend  who  interested  himself 

*  The  late  Bishop  Gadsden. 


12 


for  them — G-eorge  Keate,  a  literary  man  of  fine  taste, 
author  of  u  The  Pelew  Islands."  Of  tills  gentleman 
their  mother  thus  writes  to  her  eldest  son :  "  Had  there 
been  any  thing  wanting  to  convince  me  of  his  friend- 
ship and  kind  remembrance  of  your  dear  lather,  the 
trouble  he  has  taken,  his  so  kindly  interesting-  himself 
in  those  most  dear  to  me,  and  his  last  long  and  friendly 
letter  would  be  a  sufficient  proof." 

Charles  and  Thomas  Pinckney  passed  regularly  through 
Westminster,  with  great  honor  to  themselves,  not  only 
on  account  of  their  attainments,  hut  also  for  the  strict- 
ness of  their  principles.  The  elder  brother,  in  accord- 
ance with  his  seniority,  preceded  the  younger  by  four 
years  at  Oxford ;  he  entered  Christ  Church  College,  and 
was  placed  under  the  care  of  Cycil  Jackson,  who  was 
his  private  tutor — a  man  of  profound  learning,  who  was 
afterwards  the  Dean  of  Christ  Church.  At  Oxford  he 
pursued  his  studies  with  great  zeal,  and  quitted  it  at  the 
age  of  eighteen,  with  the  reputation  of  an  accomplished 
scholar. 

This  was  an  early  age  to  leave  the  University  in  Eng- 
land, hut  he  had  been  qualified  to  enter  it  sooner  than 
young  men  in  general,  from  his  assiduity  while  at  West- 
minster. From  Oxford  he  entered  the  Society  of  the 
Middle  Temple,*  and  here  also  he  was  indefatigable  in 
study,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  following  letter  from  his 
mother:  iC  I  am  alarmed,  my  dear  child,  with  an  account 
of  your  being  extremely  thin,  it  is  said,  owing  to  intense 
study,  and  I  apprehend  your  constitution  may  be  hurt, 

*  It  is  a  matter  of  too  much  interest  to  be  forgotten,  that  General  Pixcknky 
attended  the  lectures  of  Blackstone,  and  took  notes  of  the  whole  course.  The 
volume  containing  these  is  carefully  preserved. 


13 


which  affects  me  very  much,  conscious  as  1  am  bow  much 
and  how  often  I  have  urged  von  from  your  childhood  to  a 
close  application  to  your  studies.  But  how  short-sighted 
are  poor  mortals  !  Should  I.  by  my  over-solicitude  for 
your  passing  through  life  with  every  advantage,  have 
been  the  means  of  injuring  your  constitution,  and  depriv- 
ing you  of  that  invaluable  blessing,  health.  -How  shall  I 
answer  to  myself  the  hurting  a  child  so  truly  dear  to 
me,  and  deservedly  so,  having  lived  to  near  twenty-three 
years  of  age  without  having  once  offended  me.  Let  me 
beg  of  you,  my  dear  Charles,  for  my  sake  as  well  as 
your  own,  and  that  of  your  near  connexions,  to  take 
care  of  yourself,  and  consider  how  small  will  he  the 
advantage  of  learning  where  health  is  wanting." 
.  General  Pixckxey  spent  the  last  year  he  remained  in 
Europe  at  the  Royal  Military  Academy' at  Caen  in  Xor- 
mandy,  and  in  travelling  on  the  Continent.  His  brother 
pursued  the  same  course  of  studies,  a  severe  illness 
while  at  Oxford  obliged  him  to  suspend  them  for  a  short 
time.  A  letter  from  his  mother  shews  not  only  her 
anxiety  for  his  health,  hut  also  for  the  suspension  of  his 
collegiate  course  "It  was  with  extreme  concern  my  dear 
child  that  I  heard  of  your  illness,  though  I  was  very 
apprehensive  of  it  from  your  long  silence,  not  having 
heard  from  you  since  the  arrival  of  your  brother  until 
your  letter  by  Lady  Mary  Ainslie.*  Of  your  going  to 
France,  you  may  be  assured  I  approve,  as  it  was  neces- 
sary for  your  health,  and  you  had  the  approbation  of  my 
good  friends  on  your  side  of  the  water,  though  I  cannot 
help  regretting  that  necessity,  particularly  at  this  time, 
as  it  must  take  you  from  your  studies,  and  six  months' 

*  Afterwards  Lady  Mary  Middleton. 


14 


loss  of  application  now  must  be  of  consequence.  As  yon 
are  in  France  you  may  perhaps  be  inclined  to  see  more 
of  the  Continent  but  I  hope  you  will  not  think  of  grati- 
fying that  inclination  at  present.  I  therefore  beg  of  you 
my  dear  child,  to  return  to  Oxford,  as  soon  as  your* 
health  will  permit,  and  apply  closely  to  your  studies.'* 

Mrs.  Pinckney's  elder  son,  after  his  visit  to  the  Con- 
tinent, was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1769,  and  returned  to 
Carolina  the  same  year,  his  mother  having  previously 
requested  him  to  choose  a  good  ship  and  commander, 
but  not  to  inform  her  of  either,  or  exactly  the  time  of 
his  leaving  England,  as  her  ignorance  would  save  her 
much  anxiety.  The  younger  having  completed  Ins  colle- 
giate education,  studied  law  at  the  Temple,  and  returned 
in  1772,  one  having  been  sixteen,  the  other  nineteen 
years  absent  from  their  country,  and  eleven  and  fourteen 
years  absent  from  their  mother,  who  always  declared 
that  her  sons  were  a  living  contradiction  to  the  opinion 
that  the  affection  of  children  was  weakened  by  absence, 
and  well  was  she  rewarded  for  the  sacrifices  she  had 
made  for  their  advantages,  for  her  every  wish  was  a 
command  to  her  sons. 

As  General  Pinckney  Avas  seven  years  old  when  he 
went  to  England,  lie  had  some  recollection  of  his  country; 
he  remembered  the  pleasure  with  which  his  father  had  • 
pointed  out  to  him  the  first  wagon  that  had  arrived  in 
Charleston  from  the  interior,  saying,  "Charles,  by  the 
time  you  are  a  man,  there  will  be  at  least  twenty  wagons 
coming  to  town,"  and  when  in  after  life  he  met  in 
travelling  a  long  line  of  wagons,  he  would  remark,  "how 
happy  my  father  would  have  been  in  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  Carolina,"  and,  notwithstanding  their  long 


15 


absence  from  her  soil  never  had  she  two  sons  more 
devoted  to  her  than  were  the  Generals  Pinckney.  They 
'had  participated  in  all  the  indignation  felt  at  home  at 
the  passing  of  the  Stamp  Act — a  portrait  Taken  soon 
after  of  General  Pinckney  tor  liis  friend,  Sir  Matthew 
Ridley,  represents  him  as  arguing  vehemently  upon  that 
arbitrary  Act — the  brothers  returned  to  their  country  with 
all  the  ardor  of  young'  men,  ready  to  promote  her  best 
interests  and  die  in  her  cause.  The  sentiments  of  the 
elder  brother  are  expressed  in  the  following  extracts 
written  after  the  capitulation  of  Charleston,  in  1780. 

To  his  wife  he  writes,  "Our  friend  Philip  Xeyle,  one 
of  General  Moultrie's  aids,  was  killed  by  a  cannon  ball 
coming  through  one  of  the  embrasures,  but  I  do  not 
pity  him  for  he  has  died  nobly  in  defence  of  bis  country, 
but  I  pity  his  aged  father,  now  unhappily  bereaved  of 
his  beloved  and  only  child." 

To  his  brother-in-law  and  bosom  friend  Mr.  Edward 
Rutledge,  the  youngest  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  on  the  question  whether  if  lie  was  set 
at  liberty,  he  would  rejoin  the  American  army,  "You 
my  dear  Red  may  be  assured  that  I  will  not  do  any- 
thing, however  I  may  be  oppressed,  at  which  my  friends 
may  blush.  If  I  had  a  vein  that  did  not  beat  with-  love 
for  my  country,  I  myself  would  open  it.-  If  I  had  a 
drpp  of  blood  that  could  flow  dishonorably,  I  myself 
would  let  it  out.  Whenever  asked  the  question  you 
mention,  I  will  give  it  an  answer  becoming  an  American 
officer,  a  man  of  honor,  and  a  devotee  to  the  Freedom 
and  Independence  of  his  country." 

To  Major  Money,  a  British  officer,  who  was  interested 
for  him  when  a  prisoner:    "I  entered  into  this  cause 


16 

after  reflection  and  through  principle.  My  heart  is 
altogether  American,  and  neither  severity  nor  favor,  nor 
poverty,  nor  affluence,  can  ever  induce  me  to  swerve 
from  it." 

To  Captain  McMahon,  another  British  officer:  "The 
freedom  and  independence  of  my  country,  are  the  gods 
of  my  idolatry.  I  mean  to  rejoin  the  American  army  as 
soon  after  my  exchange  as  I  possibly  can.  I  will  exert 
my  ability  to  the  utmost  in  the  cause  I  am  engaged 
in,  and  to  obtain  success,  I  will  attempt  every  measure 
that  is  not  cruel  or  dishonorable." 

Siu-h  were  the  sentiments  of  General  Pixckxey,  which 
were  re-echoed  by  his  brother,  who  was  his  exact  counter- 
part in  strictness  of  principle,  firmness  of  character, 
purity  of  motive,  and  undaunted  courage.  But  here  the 
resemblance  ceased.  They  were  dissimilar  in  temper  and 
manner;  the  disposition  of  the  elder  brother  was  warm, 
with  occasional  ebulitions,  but  generous,  frank,  cheerful, 
so  perfectly  alive  to  the  ludicrous,  that  he  frequently 
infringed  on  the  Chesterfield  code  of  politeness  by  a 
hearty  laugh,  and  jocular  with  children  and  young  per- 
sons, who  never  felt  any  constraint  in  his  presence. 

The  disposition  of  the  younger  brother  was  mild  and 
placid,  with  so  much  self-control,  that  he  at  times  appeared 
to  strangers  cold  and  unimpassioned,  but  his  heart  was 
as  warm  as  that  of  his  brother,  and  he  would  equally 
have  made  any  Sacrifice  for  a  friend.  He  had  a  keen 
perception  of  real  wit,  which  is  said  never  to  cause  any 
thing  more  than  a  smile;  nor  was  he  insensible  to  humor 
and  pleasantly.  With  those  with  whom  lie  was  intimate, 
lie  was  even  sportive;  his  epistolary  style  was  frequently 
so  when  addressed  to  them.    Two  short  notes,  written 


17 


when  nearly  eighty,  will  give  sonic  idea  of  the  playful- 
ness of  his  manner : 

"We  are  impatiently  expecting  you,  my  dear  neices, 
at  Eldorado.  The  fatted  calf  is  ready,  the  turkeys  bave 
had  the  run  of  the  harn  yard,  the  pigs  are  wallowing  in 
rice  flour  and  potatoes,  and  the  wild  ducks  abound  in 
the  river.  You  see,  therefore,  We  arc  prepared  for  the 
immensity  of  your  appetites;  but  the  best  treat  von 
shall  have,  will  be  the  accounts  you  will  receive  of  your 
friends  in  Charleston." 

To  Mrs.  Horn  . 

"  M$  Dear  Sister  : 

I  find  that  old  age  has  a  remarkable  effect 
on  my  memory,  strengthening  it  in  some  cases,  and 
nearly  obliterating  it  in  others.  For  instance — if  any 
body  owes  me  money,  ( an  occurrence,  which  though  rare, 
sometimes  happens)  I  never  forget  a  single  cent  of  it: 
but  if  I  am  the  debtor,  it  totally  escapes  my  recollection. 
I  do,  however,  happen  to  remember,  that  when  you 
were  last  at  Santee.  you  procured  some  articles  for  me 
from  Charleston,  or  paid  money  for  me  in  some  way 
or  other.  This,  therefore,  comes  to  request  you  to  inform 
me  how  this  debt  accrued,  and  what  is  its  amount  : 
and  as  I  have  some  money  by  me,  yon  may  chance  to 
receive  you  own  before  an  act  of  oblivion  has  finally 
passed." 

The  elder  General  Pinckney  always  said  that  his 
brother's  natural  talents  were  superior  to  his  own.  but 
that  he  had  not  indulged  so  much  in  study.  General 
Thomas  Pinckxey  excelled  his  brother  in  knowledge  of 
the  Greek.  He  had  always,  when  a  hoy.  been  at  the 
o 


18 


head  of  his  class,  which  was  no  small  praise  at  such  a 
seminary  as  Westminster.  His  thorough  acquaintance 
with  Greek  gave  him  an  advantage  that  many  Christians 
do  not  possess,  it  enabled  him  to  have  a  profound  knowl- 
edge of  the  Scriptures,  which  cannot  be  obtained  by  the 
English  version. 

The  elder  General  PiNCKNEY  was  deeply  read  in  theol- 
ogy. In  arguing  on  disputed  points  he  not  only  knew 
the  strongest  arguments  on  his  own  side,  but  would  point 
out  to  his  antagonist  where  to  find  those  on  the  opposite. 
This  was  often  a  source  of  surprise  to  clergymen  of  a  dif- 
ferent persuasion.  It  is  doubtful  whether  there  was  ever 
a  more  constant  and  general  reader:  nothing  in  the  shape 
of  a  book  escaped  him;  a  child's  book,  a  cookery  book, 
or  an  old  almanac.  He  read  from  the  moment  he  arose, 
that  is,  a  page  or  a  few  sentences  at  a  time,  while  he 
walked  about  and  made  his  toilet, — locomotion,  it  is  said, 
is  conducive  to  thought.  He  did  not,  however,  read  with- 
out method.  Until  two  o'clock  in  the  day  his  reflective 
faculties  were  exercised;  after  that  hour,  works  of  imagi- 
nation, poetry,  novels,  plays,  (unless  he  was  engaged  with 
company),  occupied  him  till  he  retired  to  rest.  This  ap- 
propriation of  his  time  continued  to  the  very  last.  Botany 
and  chemistry  he  studied  as  an  amusement.  While  in 
France  he  had  attended  the  lectures  of  Charles  and  Four- 
croy.  Both  the  brothers,  after  their  retirement  from  public 
life,  employed  themselves  and  took  great  pleasure  in  agri- 
culture. 

General  Pincknex  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  the 
mother  of  his  three  daughters,  was  Sarah,  third  daughter 
of  Henry  Middleton,  second  President  of  Congress,  and 
son  of  Arthur  Middleton,  second  royal  Governor  of  Caro- 


19 


Lina.  His  second  wife  was  Mary,  daughter  <>t'  Benjamin 
Stead,  and  descendant  of  Sir  Nathaniel  Johnson,  one  of 
the  Proprietary  Governors  of  Carolina. 

General  Thomas  Pincknkv  was  also  twice  married.  His 
first  wife,  the  mother  of  bis  surviving  children,  was  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Jacob  and  Rebecca  Motte.  who  will 
long  be  remembered  as  the  heroine  most  distinguished 
among  the  daughters  of  Carolina.  His  second  wife  was 
Frances,  wicl6w  of  John  Middleton,  nephew  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Middleton,  who,  at  an  early  age,  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  battle  for  his  country. 

Of  the  Generals  Pinckney,  it  may  be  said,  they  were 
patriots  among  patriots;  and  they  were  equally  distin- 
guished as  good  men,  for  they  had  early  pressed  to  their 
hearts  the  sweet  peace  of  believing  and  the  needful  sup- 
ports of  a  religions  trust. 


9  h  i  s 
Notice  has 
been  priiatelij  printed  for 
|  a  r  r  i  o  1 1  |)  i  n  c  \\  n  e  y , 
a  t  <C  h  a  r  I  e  s  f  o  n , 
18b0. 


297^8 


